Gearbox Software has given a rare update on the status of Aliens: Colonial Marines, assuring fans that the shooter is still in development and promising "great things afoot".

Speaking in an interview with CVG, Gearbox supremo Randy Pitchford revealed that even he is finding it challenging to remain patient for the shooter.

"I know that there hasn't been much talk about what we're doing for awhile and that more details would be very juicy. Like so many people, I've been patient for years to finally be able to play this game and now that I'm actually involved in the creation of it I can tell you that it's extremely challenging to continue to be patient as it develops," he told us.

"I want to tell all! But I can't. But I can say that we are working hard and that there are great things afoot and I know that when the time is right, Sega will be excited to share more details about the game. Until that time, I guess the only thing anyone can do is just keep pressuring Gearbox and Sega to spill more beans. Maybe one of us will eventually crack."

There had been concern over the project after rumours circulated that it'd been canned, and Sega confirmed the FPS wouldn't arrive before AvP in "early 2010". Pitchford assures fans there's nothing to worry about.

"I love Aliens and I love Gearbox Software's Aliens: Colonial Marines. I am extremely committed to the game and I'm very confident in Sega's commitment to the Aliens brand and to our game.

"I can imagine that there are a LOT of Aliens fans out there just like me that feel we've been waiting for our true Aliens game since we first saw the film and now that we know it's in development, we want it NOW!"

SEGA president Mike Hayes has said that the launch of Gearbox Software's Aliens: Colonial Marines probably won't be scheduled until 6-12 months after Aliens vs. Predator launches in February 2010.

Although he admitted it was early to be discussing Colonial Marines, Hayes told G4 that "it's unlikely that we'd launch anything within six months, but probably nine months, eight to 12 months possibly".

A lot also depends on how well AVP, currently in development at Rebellion, fares at retail, according to the SEGA exec. This would then help determine timing for Colonial Marines and the third of the licensed games SEGA plans to produce.

Hayes also committed to that third game, despite the cancellation of the Aliens RPG originally in development at Alpha Protocol studio Obsidian Entertainment.

SEGA president Mike Hayes has said that the launch of Gearbox Software's Aliens: Colonial Marines probably won't be scheduled until 6-12 months after Aliens vs. Predator launches in February 2010.

Although he admitted it was early to be discussing Colonial Marines, Hayes told G4 that "it's unlikely that we'd launch anything within six months, but probably nine months, eight to 12 months possibly".

A lot also depends on how well AVP, currently in development at Rebellion, fares at retail, according to the SEGA exec. This would then help determine timing for Colonial Marines and the third of the licensed games SEGA plans to produce.

Hayes also committed to that third game, despite the cancellation of the Aliens RPG originally in development at Alpha Protocol studio Obsidian Entertainment.

It's been a long, long time since we saw (or heard) anything meaningful from Gearbox about their promising shooter Aliens: Colonial Marines. So you'll be happy to know that, with Borderlands out of the way, it's good to go.

Gearbox's Randy Pitchford has told MCV that "It's the thing I've been stealing from all my career. Now I'm really working on it, but we've been quiet about that so far".

Pitchford says that despite first revealing the game nearly three years ago, work on the developer's surprising hit Borderlands (and its subsequent downloadable content) "took over" the studio, meaning the team has only recently been able to get back to Aliens.

After the Marines were such a lacklustre part of Rebellion's AvP, it'll be interesting to see what Gearbox can do with an entire game built around the universe's most well-armed alien food group.